Task & Purpose: U.S. military preparing for possible evacuation of Niger drone bases
Roughly 1,100 U.S. troops are deployed to Niger.
The U.S. military is making plans to evacuate its drone bases in Niger, but no such order is imminent, said Air Force Gen. James Hecker, commander of US Air Forces Europe/Africa.
“We are doing a lot of prudent planning, but right now we’re not going anywhere, and we don’t plan to go anywhere until we’re told to go anywhere,” Hecker told reporters on Friday. “And right now, there’s not a need to go anywhere, so our civilian leadership is just saying, ‘Hey, hang tight, and continue planning in case something happens.’ And we’ll be ready if something happens, but hopefully this thing gets done politically, diplomatically with no bloodshed.”
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Update: US readying plans to evacuate drone bases if necessary under Niger’s new junta, commander says (AP)
WNU Editor: I would be surprised if the U.S. abandons Niger right now. They have invested too much in Niger to just walk away. There is also enormous pressure on Washington from France and American allies in Africa to get more actively involved in reversing the coup in Niger.
Bottom line.
A quick US departure right now would not only galvanize those who support the coup in Niger, but stop any plan by ECOWAS to intervene with military forces and reinstate the previous government.
4 comments:
Maybe China and Iran could attack Taiwan and Israel as well to force the US fight four wars at the same time.
Even a few Green Berets have scarified their lives in Niger, one instance was even caught on GoPro video.. Seems strange if all of that was for nothing, but then again, look at Afghanistan....
I think they will abandon Niger, unless they have minerals or some important military base is there. If not, pull troops out and strengthen Eastern Europe flank or home.
Iran doesn’t want it with Iran.
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